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Swim Platform Problems

We keep our 2010 LSV in front of our cottage on Little Traverse Bay off of Lake Michigan on a mooring buoy. When a storm rolls in we get some pretty good size waves and the swim platform has come off ... twice ... and washed up on our beach.

The holes on the bracket have been torn out ... as detailed elsewhere on this forum. I plan to have them TIG welded and re-drill 1/4" holes. Will also replace the original pins with bolts (actually have on one side).

But, I'm concerned that the platform will continue to stress the brackets and also the transom ... even with new material welded-on.

What about drilling several thru-holes in the platform to allow the upward pressure from the water to dissipate as the water will "push-thru" instead of being trapped below the platform?

Teak platforms are made from strips of teak which allows water to pass-thru.

I'm not thinking about Swiss cheese but 6-8 3" holes across the width.

I had a lot of shudder in the swim platform from waves. No matter what I did to the brackets, I never could get rid of the movement for the long term until i tried composite door shims. You should be able to find them at any hardware store.

Just use a hammer to drive them down between the platform bracket and the transom brackets. Then break off thr excess shim. They have held up Rock solid all summer, no movement what so ever. It will be a pain to get them out if I remove my platform for winter storage, but it's worth it, IMO.

My first thought is why cant you remove the boat from the lake when a storm comes in?

Second i would highly reccomend you DO NOT drill 3inch holes in the swim deck to relieve stress from the waves. The platform is not solid fiberglass, and this will cause it to be soaked on the inside and be damaged.

Also i can only imagine the hurt feet, stubed toes, small feet that would get caught in these holes.
I would go with Moombahighrider's idea first. You also might contact SC about a warrenty on the swim deck if its been damaged from the brackets, you might be surprised and they might fix it all.

Last year <3 year mark> on my boat the swim platform cracked, and was taking on water when boating. They sent me a new platform under warrenty.

I had a lot of shudder in the swim platform from waves. No matter what I did to the brackets, I never could get rid of the movement for the long term until i tried composite door shims. You should be able to find them at any hardware store.

Just use a hammer to drive them down between the platform bracket and the transom brackets. Then break off thr excess shim. They have held up Rock solid all summer, no movement what so ever. It will be a pain to get them out if I remove my platform for winter storage, but it's worth it, IMO.

My first thought is why cant you remove the boat from the lake when a storm comes in?

Second i would highly reccomend you DO NOT drill 3inch holes in the swim deck to relieve stress from the waves. The platform is not solid fiberglass, and this will cause it to be soaked on the inside and be damaged.

Also i can only imagine the hurt feet, stubed toes, small feet that would get caught in these holes.
I would go with Moombahighrider's idea first. You also might contact SC about a warrenty on the swim deck if its been damaged from the brackets, you might be surprised and they might fix it all.

Last year <3 year mark> on my boat the swim platform cracked, and was taking on water when boating. They sent me a new platform under warrenty.

I get your drift ... and we have 14 grandchildren between our two owners.